Someshvara I (; ) was a king of the Western Chalukyas. Also known as "Ahavamalla" or "Trilokamalla", Someshvara succeeded his father Jayasimha II to the throne. His several military successes in

Central India Central India refers to a geographical region of India that generally includes the states of Chhattisgarh and Madhya Pradesh. The Central Zonal Council, established by the Government of India, includes these states as well as Uttar Prades ...

made him a formidable ruler of a vast empire. During his rule, the Chalukyan empire extended to

Gujarat Gujarat () is a States of India, state along the Western India, western coast of India. Its coastline of about is the longest in the country, most of which lies on the Kathiawar peninsula. Gujarat is the List of states and union territories ...

and Central India in the north. The Hoysalas of the

Malenadu Malnad (or Malenadu) is a region in the state of Karnataka, India. Malenadu covers the western and eastern slopes of the Western Ghats mountain range and is roughly 100 kilometers in width. It includes the districts of Uttara Kannada,Shivamog ...

(hill) regions of

Mysore Mysore ( ), officially Mysuru (), is a city in the southern Indian state of Karnataka. It is the headquarters of Mysore district and Mysore division. As the traditional seat of the Wadiyar dynasty, the city functioned as the capital of the ...

were his vassals in the South. Vinayaditya's daughter or sister called Hoysala Devi was one of his queens. In the west, Someshvara I retained control over the

Konkan The Konkan is a stretch of land by the western coast of India, bound by the river Daman Ganga at Damaon in the north, to Anjediva Island next to Karwar town in the south; with the Arabian Sea to the west and the Deccan plateau to the eas ...

. In the east he was able to extend his influence up to Ananthapur and

Kurnool Kurnool is a city in the state of Andhra Pradesh, India. It formerly served as the capital of Andhra State (1953–1956). The city is often referred to as "The Gateway of Rayalaseema". Kurnool is also famous for Diamond hunting as diamonds ca ...

. Despite many defeats during his wars with the Cholas of Tanjore, he managed to play king-maker at Vengi on several occasions.Kamath (1980), p.104, p.124 According to the historian Ganguli, the Cholas "could not wrest from him any part of his kingdom". According to the historian Sen, Someshvara I's rule was a "brilliant period" in the history of the Western Chalukyas that would reach its zenith under Vikramaditya VI.Sen (1999), p.384 Historian Tripathi claims the Chalukya influence was felt in far-off Eastern India as well. He shifted his capital from Manyakheta to Kalyani (present day Basavakalyana in modern

Bidar district Bidar district is the northernmost part of the Karnataka state in India. The administrative headquarters of district is Bidar, Bidar city. Geographically, it known as the "Crown of the State", occupying its northeastern end. It is bounded by Ka ...

).Kamath (1980), p.103 He patronized the

Kannada language Kannada () is a Dravidian languages, Dravidian language spoken predominantly in the state of Karnataka in southwestern India, and spoken by a minority of the population in all neighbouring states. It has 44 million native speakers, an ...

scholar Shridharacharya who wrote ''Jatakatilaka'' (c.1049), the earliest available work on astrology in the language, and the now extinct ''Chandraprabhacharite'' on

Belles-lettres () is a category of writing, originally meaning beautiful or fine writing. In the modern narrow sense, it is a label for literary works that do not fall into the major categories such as fiction, poetry, or drama. The phrase is sometimes used pej ...

(''kavya kavite'').Narasimhacharya (1988), p.19

Wars with the Cholas

According to the historian Kamath, soon after his coronation, Someshvara I interfered in the affairs of Vengi and invaded the region but faced defeat against the Chola monarch Rajadhiraja Chola (crowned in c.1044) at Amaravathi. The Cholas followed this by invading Chalukya territory. According to the historian Sastri, Rajadhiraja defeated Someshvara I in the battle of Dannada ("Dhanyakataka") on the banks of the

Krishna River The Krishna River in the Deccan Plateau, Deccan plateau is the third-longest in India, after the Ganga, Ganga and Godavari. It is also the fourth-largest in terms of water inflows and river basin area in India, after the Ganga, Indus and Godav ...

compelling the Western Chalukya armies to retreat, and the fort at Kollipakki (Kulpak) was razed to the ground. This was followed by victories at Kampili and Pundur. According to the historians Chopra et al., the details of the sack of Kampili is recorded in the Manimangalam inscription. A victory pillar with the Chola emblem was installed at Yetagiri (modern Yadgir in the

Yadgir district Yadgir District is one of the List of districts of Karnataka, 31 districts of Karnataka state in southern India.This district was carved out of Kalaburagi district as the 30th district of Karnataka on 10 April 2010. Yadgir town is the administr ...

). Finally, the Cholas plundered Kalyani, the Chalukya capital in c.1045. Rajadhiraja performed the ''Virabhisheka'' ("victory celebration") in the destroyed enemy capital and assumed the title ''Vijayarajendra'' ("victorious Rajendra"). However, according to Sastri and Sen, in a dramatic recovery, Someshvara I drove the Cholas out of Vengi by c.1050 and re-established his influence, not only in Vengi but also in Kalinga (modern day

Orissa Odisha (), formerly Orissa ( the official name until 2011), is a state located in Eastern India. It is the eighth-largest state by area, and the eleventh-largest by population, with over 41 million inhabitants. The state also has the thir ...

). Sen further claims Someshvara I took the battle right to the heart of the Chola empire. According to Kamath there was a Chalukya counterattack and a raid on

Kanchipuram Kanchipuram (International Alphabet of Sanskrit Transliteration, IAST: '; ), also known as Kanjeevaram, is a stand alone city corporation, satellite nodal city of Chennai in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu in the Tondaimandalam region, from ...

.Chopra, Ravindran and Subrahmanian (2003), p.138 For a while the Cholas did not press their cause either in Vengi or Kalinga. However, in c.1054, the Cholas responded by invading Koppal (Koppam) where King Rajadhiraja Chola was killed and Someshvara I had to mourn the death of his brother Jayasimha. However, according to Sastri, the Cholas were able to convert defeat into victory when their crown prince Rajendra II (brother of Rajadhiraja) mounted a surprise counterattack and pushed the Chalukya armies back. Rajendra II crowned himself on the battlefield, mounted a victory pillar at Kollapura (modern Kohlapur) and returned to his capital Gangaikondacholapuram with much booty which including the Chalukya queens Sattiyavvai and Sangappai. Hostilities continued and in c.1059 Rajendra Chola II invaded the Chalukya kingdom but was defeated on the banks of the Tungabhadra River. Someshvara I constructed a temple at Annigeri in the modern Dharwad district to celebrate this success. However, according to Sen, in the battle of Mudakkarru on the banks of the Tungabhadra in c.1059, Someshvara I suffered another defeat.Sastri (1955), pp.168-169 Politics of succession erupted again over the Vengi throne in c.1061 after the death of the Eastern Chalukya King Rajaraja Narendra. Someshvara I installed Saktivarman II, son of Vijayaditya II, on the throne. This went against the wishes of the Cholas who wanted their own blood line from the Vengi family at the helm. The Cholas desired to crown Rajendra, son of the deceased king Rajaraja Narendra. There was a brief respite for Someshvara I over Vengi affairs but the new Chola monarch Rajendra II appears to have defeated Someshvara I in several encounters, including in a major battle at Kudalasangama (modern Koodli in the

Shimoga district Shimoga district, officially known as Shivamogga district, is a Districts of India, district in the Karnataka state of India. A major part of Shimoga district lies in the Malnad region or the Western Ghats, Sahyadri. Shimoga city is its adminis ...

) in c.1062. The historians Chopra et al., claim this Kudalasangama was actually at the confluence of Krishna and Tungabhadra rivers. On this occasion, Someshvara I had sent two armies, one under his general Chamundaraya and another into Gangavadi (southern Mysore territory) under his sons prince Vikramaditya VI and Jayasimha. However, Rajendra II defeated both armies and thus Someshvara I's effort to erase the defeat at Koppal failed. In c.1063, Rajendra II and his son Rajamahendra died leading to the coronation of Virarajendra as the new Chola king.

Final battle of Kudalasangama

During a brief lull in hostilities, Someshvara I was busy reinforcing himself, militarily and diplomatically. In the east he counted on the Nagavamsi ruler Dharavarsha and the Eastern Ganga dynasty King Vajrahasta II of Kalinga as his allies. In Bezwada, he relied on the support of the

Paramara dynasty The Paramara Dynasty (IAST: Paramāra) was an Indian dynasty that ruled Malwa and surrounding areas in west-central India between 9th and 14th centuries. They belonged to the Parmar (clan), Paramara clan of the Rajputs. The dynasty was establi ...

prince Janannatha. In the west he stationed a large army under Vijayaditya. After a few brief encounters with the Cholas including a successful Chalukya raid of the Chola capital by prince Vikarmaditya VI, Someshvara I invited Virarajendra Chola to a battle at Kudalasangama. However, because of an incurable illness that afflicted him, Someshvara I's and his army did not show up at the venue. After a month-long wait Virarajendra invaded and was victorious at all fronts: Vengi, Bezwada, Kalinga and Chitrakuta (in the Nagavamsi domains), and a victory pillar was erected on the banks of the Tungabhadra. Unable to recover from his illness, Someshvara I committed ritual suicide (''paramayoga'') by drowning himself in the Tungabhadra river at Kuruvatti (modern

Bellary district Ballari, formerly Bellary (pronounced ), is a major district in Karnataka. It is located at north-eastern part of Karnataka. This district belongs to Kalyana-Karnataka. This district was one of the biggest districts in Karnataka until the Vi ...

) on 29 March 1068.Kamath (1980), p.104Sastri (1955), p.170

Success in the central and eastern India

During this time of constant conflict with the Cholas, according to Kamath and Sastri, Someshvara I dealt successfully with the

Shilahara Shilahara was a royal dynasty that established itself in northern and southern Konkan in 8th century CE, present-day Mumbai and Southern Maharashtra ( Kolhapur) during the Rashtrakuta period. The founder of the Shilahara dynasty, Sanaphulla, ...

s of the North

, the

Seuna (Yadava) dynasty The Seuna, Sevuna, or Yadava, Yadavas of Devagiri (IAST: Seuṇa, –1317) was a medieval Indian dynasty, which at its peak ruled a realm stretching from the Narmada River, Narmada river in the north to the Tungabhadra river in the south, in th ...

King Bhillama III, the

King

Bhoja Bhoja was the Paramara dynasty, Paramara king of Malwa from 1010 until his death in 1055. He ruled from Dhara (city), Dhara (modern Dhar), and Military career of Bhoja, fought wars with nearly all his neighbours in attempts to extend his king ...

of Dhara, the Chaulukyas of Gujarat and the

Pratiharas The Pratihara dynasty, also called the Gurjara-Pratiharas, the Pratiharas of Kannauj or the Imperial Pratiharas, was a prominent medieval Indian dynasty which ruled over the Kingdom of Kannauj. It initially ruled the Gurjaradesa until its vict ...

of central India. Someshvara I plundered

Dhar Dhar is a city located in Dhar district of the Malwa region in the state of Madhya Pradesh, India. The city is the administrative headquarters of the Dhar district. Before Indian independence from Great Britain, it was the capital of the Dhar ...

Ujjain Ujjain (, , old name Avantika, ) or Ujjayinī is a city in Ujjain district of the Indian state of Madhya Pradesh. It is the fifth-largest city in Madhya Pradesh by population and is the administrative as well as religious centre of Ujjain ...

and Mandapa in central India and subjugated King Bhoja. The Chindaka Nagas of Bastar (the Nagavamsi dynasty of Chitrakuta) in central India were defeated by the Chalukya vassal

Kakatiya dynasty The Kakatiya dynasty (International Alphabet of Sanskrit Transliteration, IAST: Kākatīya) was a Andhras, Telugu dynasty that ruled most of eastern Deccan Plateau, Deccan region in present-day India between 12th and 14th centuries. Their ter ...

King Prolla. According to Chopra et al., Someshvara I got the better of King Lakshmikarna of the Kalachuri dynasty of Tripuri (near

Jabalpur Jabalpur, formerly Jubbulpore, is a city situated on the banks of Narmada River in the state of Madhya Pradesh, India. It is the 3rd-largest urban agglomeration of the state and the 38th-largest of the country. Jabalpur is the administrative h ...

) as well. Thus Someshvara I's control extended as far north as Vidharba and parts of modern

Madhya Pradesh Madhya Pradesh (; ; ) is a state in central India. Its capital is Bhopal and the largest city is Indore, Indore. Other major cities includes Gwalior, Jabalpur, and Sagar, Madhya Pradesh, Sagar. Madhya Pradesh is the List of states and union te ...

.Kamath (1980), p.104Sastri (1955), pp.167-168 According to the historian Tripathi, toward the end of his reign, under the leadership of his brilliant son Vikramaditya VI, Someshvara I's armies marched east with an eye on the Gangetic plains. Unchecked by the Chandela rulers and the Kacchapaghata rulers of central India, according to the Yewur inscription, Someshvara I's armies raided Kanyakubja whose king appears to have fled based on this line in the inscription: "quickly experiences an abode among the caves". The Chalukya armies marched further east, overwhelming the Kalachuri King Lakshmikarna of Madhyadesha and getting the better of the kingdoms of

Mithila Mithila may refer to: Places * Mithilā, a synonym for the ancient Videha state ** Mithilā (ancient city), the ancient capital city of Videha * Mithila (region), a cultural region (historical and contemporary), now divided between India and Nepa ...

, Magadha, Anga, Vanga and Gouda. The

Palas A ''palas'' () is a German term for the imposing or prestigious building of a medieval '' Pfalz'' or castle that contained the great hall. Such buildings appeared during the Romanesque period (11th to 13th century) and, according to Thompson ...

appear to have posed no resistance either. Eventually, Someshvara's I armies were stopped by the king of

Kamarupa Kamarupa (; also called Pragjyotisha or Pragjyotisha-Kamarupa), an early state during the Classical period on the Indian subcontinent, was (along with Davaka) the first historical kingdom of Assam. The Kamrupa word first appeared in the ...

(in modern

Assam Assam (, , ) is a state in Northeast India, northeastern India, south of the eastern Himalayas along the Brahmaputra Valley, Brahmaputra and Barak River valleys. Assam covers an area of . It is the second largest state in Northeast India, nor ...

). The Chalukya armies returned home through Southern Kosla.Tripathi (1942), pp.421-422

Notes

References

* * * * * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Someshvara 01 1068 deaths Western Chalukya kings Medieval suicides Suicides by drowning Suicides in India Heads of state who died by suicide Royalty who died by suicide